pitt-taylor



F. S. PITT-TAYLOR.

CONCERTINA KEYBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. II 1919- 1,417, 1 O7. Pfiellted y 23, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

FIG/1. RIGHT HAND VITjIjESSES INVENTOR F. S. PITT-TAYLOR CONCERTINA KEYBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1919.

1,417, 1 0'7. Patented M y 23, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG. 3. RIGHT HAND LFK SIDE LEFT HAND 1 32. Z

SIDE 11 W L FK OLFK

WITNESSES 'NVENT'OR F. S. PITT-TAYLOR.

CONCERTINA KEYBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. H. 1919.

1,417,107. Patented May 23, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. m H F e. 5. II F I K RFK I m RIGHT WITNESSES INVENTOR cifiwz UNITED! STATES PATENT, OFFICE,

. FRANCIS, STANHOPE PITT-TAYLOR, or BLACKPOOL, ENGLAND.

coNoER'rINa KEYBOARD.

Specification oi Letters Patent.

Patented May 23,1922.

Application filed November 11, 1919. Serial No. 337,353.

To all. whom it mayconcera:

Be it known that I,-FRANcJs STANHOPE Prrr-TAYLo bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery, general medical practitioner, a subject of King George Vof Great Britain 'a n'dIreland and of the Dominions beyond the Seas and Emperor of India, re-

siding at 106 Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, in

the county ,of Lancaster, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Concertina Keyboards of which the follow ing is a, specification.

This invention relates to the keyboards of concertinas which are particularly adapted to the hands, the one to the one hand, and the other to the other hand ofthe player, the keys of each keyboard being grouped in parallel rows having six keys in each one,

the keys being numbered from. the left edge of the, keyboard. These parallel rows of keys are placed one'above the other so as to form six lines of keys which are perpendicular to the straight line L, shown in Figure 6 joining the lower edge of the second and sixth keys of any row, and to that shown in Figure 5 joining the lower edge of the first and fifth keys of each row. The keys in each parallel row ofboth keyboards, as is shown in Figures 5 and 6, are also placed in two straight lines which meet to form an" angle, the vertex of the angle pointing upwards being the fourth key on the left keyboard, and being the'third key on the right keyboard the diatonic notes progressing as they do in the pianoforte from left to right on the left side, and from right to left on the right side being sounded by the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th keys of every row on the left side, and by the 3rd, 4th, and 5th keys of every row on theright side, and by the 6th key.

of every alternate row onwthe left side, and by tlre 1st key of every alternate row on the right side; the chromatic notes not progressing as thmblack notes do in the pianoforte being sounded by the remaining keys; the notes of the same'name being in the same position in everyalternate row only differ-- ing to the extent ofbeing inoctaves of lower or higher pitch.

. The present invention (Pitt-Taylor, British, No. 136,300, application date Dec. 1 20,

' 1918, accepted Dec. 18, 1919) is an improved construction of keyboards of the foregoing description in which the first and second keys on the left side, and the fifth and sixth keys on the right side in each row are placed in a more advantageous position for the fingers which sound them, and the chromatics of one octave found in every pair of rows are placed so as to progress from left to right on theleft side and from right to left on the .right side from the lowest to the highest note as the'black notes do in the pianoforte,

so that the beginning of one chromatic scale is found in one row of every pair, to enable them to be sounded more easily in certain chords. g

In order that my said invention. may be easily and clearly understood the keyboards are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 6, which are drawn to a scale a little more than one and a half times the actual size, and show an instrument with 30 keys on the left hand side and 42 keys on the right hand side, or 72'altogether in drawings show the keyboard on the right hand side of the concertina, whilst Figures 2, 4, and 6 showfthat on the left hand side of the instrument. I

- The compass shown in second leger line below the line ,on the bass staff to G fiat on the third line above the line of the same staff; or from C sharp in the second octave to G-fiat in the fourth octave .of a piano commencing its compass with A in the first octave.

The compass shown in Figure 4 extends Figure 2 on the left hand side extends from. C sharp on the from G in the fourth space'below the line on the-bass staff to F sharp inthe third space above the line ofthe same staff, or comparing with the piano keyboard from G in the first octaveto F sharp inv the fourth octave.

on the right hand side,'F1gure 1, the compass extends from G in the thirds ace below the line of the treble staff to d in the sixth space above the line of the same staff, or from G in the third octave to C in the seventh octave.

The compass shown in Figure 3 extends from G in the third space below the line of the treble staff to F sharp in the fourth space above the line of the same staff, or from G in the third octave to F sharp in the sixth octave. Figures 3 and 4 show certain lines and angles which are referred to in the detailed description. The keys of each row besides being labelled with reference to the fingers are numbered on both sides from the left edge of the keyboard with the numbers I to VI laced above the finger labels. Thus, in Figure 1 can be seen seven different-number rows of six keys numbered I to VI, and six same-number rows of seven keys each of which is the same numbered key of each of thedifi'erent-number rows. In Figure 2 on the other hand, there are only five different-number rows of six keys,

and therefore six same-number rows of five keys. In Figures 3 and 4 there are six different-number rows as well as six samenumber rows.

I will now consider in detail the characteristic features of the invention.

First, the two outermost keys of each row, in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, which have been named OLFK or outer little finger key, and LFK or little finger key on each side are placed lower in position so that together with the RFK or ring finger key they form three keys in a straight line marked ZZ in Figures 3 and 4, which line drawn through the centres of these keys and prolonged is in a line with the middle of the space between the two MFKs or middle finger keys, namely, the one of the same row and the other of the row above, named 43 and 4F in Figure 3, and 2B and 2F in Figure 4, and parallel with the three keys, the MFKof the same row, the IFK or index finger key of the row above, and the OIFK or outer index finger key of the second row above. Second, the OIFK, the IF K, and the MFK on each side are in a straight line marked YY in Figures 3 and 4, which line drawn through the centres of these three keys and prolonged is in aline with the middle of the space between the two RFKs, namely. the one of the same row, and the other of the row above, and parallel with the three keys the RFK of the same row, the LFK of the row-above, and the OLFK of the second row above. Third, the RFK and the MFK of each row on each side are in a straight line, marked TT in Figures 3 and 4, which line drawn through the centres of thes two keys and prolonged on each side of them is in a line with the centres of the O'LFK and the OIFK of the row above, and passes through 'LFKs and the two I the middle of the s ace between the two FKs, namely. the ones of the same row, and the others of the row above.

The keyboard on each side is thus divided into two sets of 3 keys in straight lines, as indicated by lines YY and ZZ in Figures 3 and 4, and one set of two keys in a straight line with the first and sixth keys of the row above indicated by the line TT, which two keys are the innermost ones of the two sets of three keys. This line passing through the two keys, the MFK and the RFK of one row, termed TT, forms with the line YY passing through the ()IFK, IFK. and MFR on each side an angle, whose vertex being upwards is at th MFK. and the line connecting the middle ofthe keys IF K and RFK will be found to touch the lower edge of the MF K, and to be horizontal. This angle is the same as that described in my former patent Pitt-Taylor, British. No. 109,423, application date June 5, accepted Sept. 13, 1917, as is shown in Figures 5 and 6. The above line TT, also forms with the line ZZ assing through the OLFK. LFK, and RF I on each side an angle, whose vertex being upwards is at the RFK. and the line connecting the middle of the keys LFK and MFK marked RR will be found it prolonged in one direction to touch the upper edge of the OLFK of the same row, and in the other direction to touch the lower edge of the IFK of the row above. and if prolonged still further to be midway between the two OIFKs, namely, those of the first and second rows above. It is this additional angle together with the changes resulting therefrom, and the alteration in the orderof the chromatic notes which distinguishes this keyboard from that described in my former patent Pitt-Taylor. British, No. 109,423 app. June 5, acc. Sept. 13, 1917, so that the chief characteristics of this keyboard are that the six keys in every row on both sides are placed in such a position that they form 1) two angles instead of the one shown in Figures 5 and 6, (2) two sets of three keys shown in Figures 1. 2, 3 and 4 instead of one series of three and another of four keys shown in Figures 5 and 6. and (3) one set of two keys formed by one key of each of the above two sets, which set is in a straight line with the first and sixth keys of the row above, and represents all that is left of the old series of four keys in a straight line shown in Figures 5 and 6 and illustrating my former patent mentioned aforesaid.

The advantage obtained by this alteration is firstly, that it carries out the contrivance of having-as many keys in series of three in a straight line as is possible more thoroughly than formerly, and moreover, bythe keyboard being evenly divided up into two por- Hit so that the regularity and greater simplicity provided will afford very much better con- 2, 3 and 4.

.ditions for reaching the acme of technical perfection in laying the instrument, and secondly, it ena les the little and ring fingers to play the duads G sharp D, GC sharp, GE and AD more easily than formerly.

Second, the three keys which sound sharps in each row of ke s which contain them on both sides, the or er of which in my aforesaid patent shown in Figures 5 and 6 from left to right on the left side, and from right to left on the right side is D sharp, F sharp, and C sharp is changed, so that the sharps are placed as the black notes are in the pianoforte, that is, in the order C sharp, D sharp, and F sharp,or G flat, as is seen in Figures The bottom different-number row of Figure'2, the second different-number row from the bottom of Figure 1, and every alternate different-number row,in both figures show that the above-named three chromatic notes are sounded by the three keys named OLFK,

IFK, and OIFK, whilst the bottom differ ent-number row of Figure 1, the second different-number row from the bottom of Figure 2, and every alternate different-number row in both figures show that the remaining chromatic notes G sharp and A sharp are sounded by the two keys named OLFK'and IFK, or, in other words, the outermost three keys, one on one side and two on the other side of one different-number row, and one outermost key on one side, and one key next to an outermost key on the other side of the other different-number row of every pair of such rows are chromatic sounders.

In this invention, then, is thus combined for the first time two contrivances (A) the one in which, for anatomical and musical advantages the diatonicnotes are sounded, the keys being numbered from the left edge of the keyboard, by the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th keys of every 3rd, 4th and 5th keys of every row on the right side, and by the 6th key of every alternate row on the left side, and by the 1st key of every alternate row on the right side, and in which chromatic notesare sounded by the remaining keys, and (B) the other,

in which each key in any row is as far as possible an equal interval of pitch in either a forward or backward direction apart from the same key in the row above or in the row below, and therefore possesses a musical availability which is to the greatest extent possible, the best for all scales alike. Contrivance (B) has been attained without con.-

trivance A) by causing the six keys of each row to sound the notes of half an octave of of a chromatic scale in my patent specificarow on the left side, andby the.

tion Pitt-Taylor, British, No. 102,552 app. date Mar. 7, 1916, acc. Dec. 14, 1916. Contrivance has been combined with an application of contrivance '(B) to the diatonic notes only, which arearranged so that they progress as they do inthe pianoforte from left to right on the left side, and from has been combined with .the application of contrivance (B) to both diatonic and chromatic notes in this invention by not only having. the diatonic notes to progress as they do iii the pianoforte, but

by having the chromaticnotes to progress like the black, notes do in the ,pianoforte though in a separate positional way from that-of the diatonic notes which form with them the notes in a chromatic scale. In this pianoforte way both series of notes, diatonic and chromatic,advance inaccordance with their respectlve posit ons in each octave,

from left to right on the left side, and from right to left on the right side. The chromatic notes are thus placed nearer to their respective diatomic notes than previously. Since the essential element in contrivance (B) is the regular, as opposed to any irregular order of. both diatonic and chromatic notes, and this regular order is separately reproduced in this invention, it logically follows that the chromatic notes are placed as close to their position in a pianoforte chromatic scale as the separate position of both diatonic and chromatic notes due to contrivance (A) will permit.

By this alteration, moreover, certain scales, especially the major fiat scales, certain common chords, such as, BDF sharp B, F sharp A C F sharp, C sharp E G C sharp, D sharp F sharp A D sharp, A sharp C sharp E A sharp, C E flat G C, etc., and chords of the dominant seventh, such as, G sharp BDF sharp, BD sharp F sharp A, D sharp F sharp A C, F sharp A sharp C sharp E, E flat G flat B flat D flat, and the like, are made easier to play without at the same time making any other chords less easy to play, so that the common chord'of a'note, its third, fifth, and octave, and the dominant seventh chord of a note, its third, fifth, and seventh are now found to .be' obtained without difficulty throughout all scales alike.

- What I claim and desire to secure by ters Patent ofithe United States of America 1s:--

1. A concertina having two chromatic keyboards, one keyboard particularly adapted to one hand, the other keyboard to the other hand of the player, having its keys grouped in parallel rows of six keys in each Letone, the rows being placed one above the other so as to form six lines of keys which are perpendicular to the straight line connecting the upper edge of the second and fourth, and passing through the middle of the third key, on the right side, numbering keys; one angle being higher than the other,

and the slope of the outer arm ofithe higher angle being less than the slope of the outer arm of the lower angle substantially as described.

2. A keyboard with the keys grouped in pairs of rows of six, the keys of every pair being able to sound when pressed the naturals and the chromatics of one octave,

those for the chromatic sounders being for one row the three outermost keys one on the one side and two on the other side of one row, and for the other row one outermost key on one side and one key next to an outermost key on the other side of the other row sounding in the first row the notes Cv sharp, D sharp and F sharp, and in the other row G sharp and A sharp: every alternate row havingkeys for chromatic sounders of the same name and in the same position that only differ from each other by being in octaves of lower or higher pitch substantially as described.

3. A concertina having two chromatic keyboards, one for each hand of the player, the keys of each keyboard grouped in pairs of rows of six, the keys of every pair being able to sound when pressed the naturals and the chromatics of one octave, those for the chromatic sounders being for one row the three outermost keys one on the one side and two on the other side of one Iow, and for the other row one outermost key on one side and one key next to an outermost key on the other side of the other row sounding in the first row the notes C sharp, D sharp and F sharp, and in the other row G sharp and A sharp; sounding in both cases these notes from left to right on the left side and from right'to left on the right side: every alternate row having keys for chromatic sounders of the same name and in the same position that only differ from each other by being in octaves of lower or higher pitch substantially as described.

Signed at 106, Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, in the county of Lancaster, England, this 25th day of October, 1919.

FRANCIS STANHOPE PITT-TAYLOR. 

